Through the Eyes of a Pirate
by Sapherindrial
Summary: in which the ninjas are pirates, Sakura is raised on a primitive island, Ino is a village girl, Hinata is a princess, Tenten is a slave, and Itachi is trying to rule the world. Add the other idiots into the mix and we've got ourselves pure chaos.
1. Of Mangoes and Pink Birds

Legends. People simply adore speaking of them—whether to frighten a small child into obeying, or to immerse one's listeners into an enthralling adventure which may or may not be true. Now, most people don't put a lot of stock into a legend. They dismiss it, calling it an old folk's tale or a belief of fools.

But were the people who had believed in legends really crazy? Indeed, how can we call them crazy when so many of them risked their lives for a mere storyteller's word? Yes, these folk, the fabric of whom many legends are woven…the pirates. They were an entirely different race of men, indeed, for they were the sea's children. Strong, proud, wild and cunning, they ruled the ocean. Dodging many a country's navy, they were determined to carve their own destiny and a way of life into a world of tradition and rules. Much of the pirate's life revolved around chasing legends, seeing if they were true. One such legend pirates often spent their lives searching for was that of the seven pearls of Demons. These pearls were said to be the darkest ebony of the sea, and were supposedly scattered all over the world, one in each of the seven seas.

But how could someone search the oceans? And even if they were to topple that obstacle, what if some unknowing fishermen accidentally discovered the pearl? Yes, these uncertainties brought many pirates to their knees in defeat. However, some pirates, those more cunning, those more determined, found a way around this.

This is their story.

Chapter 1: Of Mangoes and Pink Birds

Naruto Uzimaki was a, if anything, entertaining person. Yes, he could be quite annoying, he knew that, but when it really came down to it he could easily brighten anyone's day with his antics. Grinning at the feel of the salty sea air mussing his blond hair, he looked out across the endless expanse of ocean which surrounded the ship. This was the life, he decided. He was first mate on the _Avenging Fox_, a fine ship made of dark wood. It sailed faster than any navy's cruiser, and was simply beautiful with its fine craftsmanship.

"Stop messing around dumbass, or I'll have you thrown to the sharks." Naruto's smile widened as he heard the reprimanding tone of his best friend's voice.

"Did you actually say a whole sentence in one breath? I'm so proud of you Teme! We're finally making progress with your pathetic social skills!" He jumped down from his precarious position on the rigging and glanced down at his friend.

Sasuke Uchiha, his best friend and captain of the _Avenging Fox_ scowled at him and walked away, muttering to himself under his breath.

The crew of the _Avenging Fox_ held these two in highest respect. For, though they were only a mere twenty years old, they had quite a reputation. Indeed, the elusive Sea Fox and the Stone-hearted Avenger were a renowned pair, wanted posters of them at every corner in the world. It was simply unbelievable that the two had once been orphaned beggar boys. How had they come so far? Not many knew, and those who did were held in close confidence to Sasuke and Naruto and thus wouldn't dare tell a soul.

While Naruto began going about the ship to assess that the crew's morning activities, Sasuke strode purposefully to the stern of the ship, vigilantly watching for any sign of the tribal island of Cacicuna where they occasionally dropped anchor.

The inhabitants of the island rarely ventured out of the forest, preferring instead to stare at the pirates warily from within the leafy foliage's confines. This was quite alright with Sasuke, who as long as he could remember had never been too particularly fond of excessive human interaction. As a result of this, Sasuke actually liked the island, as much as was humanly possible of Sasuke to like anything, anyway. It gave him a chance to let Naruto and the crew enjoy their rum while he would stand at some distant point of the island and relax in solitude. Yes,  
he was looking forward to it, he thought decidedly as the distant outline of the island appeared over the horizon.

* * *

A baby tiger curled playfully around the limber, pale skin of her calf, purring contentedly. Her pink lips curled into a gentle smile. All animals naturally took to her. Because of it, her people thought of her as something as a forest goddess, born into a human body. Though they treated her with great respect and reverence, Sakura knew in her heart that she was no princess. She was just a girl who the Cani Tribe had discovered upon their shores and raised. It was probably a good thing that they had thought her a goddess, she knew, because otherwise they might have killed her. Mere child that she was, they nearly threw her into the ocean. It was when her pink hair had been riled by the breeze and she opened her emerald eyes that the chieftain had paused in announcing her death sentence. She was unlike anything they had ever seen before. Still, this would have been not enough to save her.

In the suspended moment of the chief's surprise at her appearance, a pack of wild dogs attacked the tribe with much vigor, flashing jagged teeth. Yet, as soon as the dogs saw her, they stopped in their tracks. This unlikely occurrence had been what allowed her to live to the young age of nineteen. This was all that Sakura could remember. She knew she had been about seven when they found her, because she bore a crudely written note in her pocket saying so. However, anything about her past which had been before the island, she could not recall. Sakura often liked to theorize about who she had been, where she was born, but her fantasies were limited to the primitive knowledge the Cani Tribe had to offer.

However, there was a man who often inspired her fantasies about the world like her tribe could not. He was mysterious and silent, and whenever he landed on the island with his great ship she would quietly observe him from the treetops. Although he never had actually taught her about the outside world, he was there; another pale skinned human, like her, and he fascinated her. There was something more about him too, she admitted quietly to herself, that drew her to him. Perhaps it was his raven colored hair and dark fathomless eyes, or maybe it was the regal way he carried himself, or maybe though he was oft seen with a sword by his side, he had the graceful hands of an artist. She wasn't sure.

Today, like every other day, she traveled to the diminutive, concealed beach he always occupied on his visits. Usually she was disappointed when she arrived; he had not been there in quite some time. This time, however, she could barely contain her excitement as she glimpsed his broad form leaning leisurely against a boulder. So excited, was she, that she accidentally made the mistake of letting her long, pink hair blow freely in the wind. Normally she held it back with one hand, and though she quickly recaptured it, she knew it was too late.

Movement attracts the eye. And judging by the tensing of his shoulders and the instant snapping of his head in her direction, he had witnessed the brief flash of color within the dark forest leaves.

* * *

Sasuke had been so relieved when they finally landed at Cacicuna. It was fairly early in the day, judging by the sun, so he would have quite a few hours of time to himself. Excusing himself briskly from the crew, he made his way to his place of solitude, the dark leather of his boots crunching sand with every step. He had naught been thinking more than an hour when a startling bout of color caught his eye from within the forest. At first instinct, he feared an intruder. Puzzlement soon settled upon his brow when he realized that no members of his crew had such a flamboyant color to sport—although he wouldn't put it past Naruto to purchase something of the sort. The natives too, had no resources to produce such a color. What was it then? Some sort of brightly colored bird? He shook his head. His imagination—Naruto constantly liked to point out how "lacking" and "sad" and "dull" it was—was running away with him. It always seemed to, for some reason, whenever he came here. Sometimes he would think he saw a pair of glowing green eyes staring at him, but surely there was no one there.

Nevertheless, agitation ate away at him until the sun sank over the horizon. Tomorrow, he would go on a hunt for this pink creature…whatever it was. Sighing from exhaustion, he laid down on a coarsely made bed of palm leaves and fell asleep.

* * *

The way his chest rose and fell was mesmerizing. It was dawn, and Sakura had been inching closer to his stagnant form since midnight, careful to not wake him up. She was a mere foot away from him at this point. Slowly, she leaned over him and stared at his handsome face with a childlike curiosity. His features were calm, entirely relieved of the tension which had resided there the day before, and he looked almost content. Somewhere, deep inside of her, a warmth bubbled up and spread throughout her body to the tips of her fingers. And suddenly she had the oddest urge to touch him, to discover if his skin was really as soft as it appeared, to run her fingers through his fine dark hair. Forgetting all pretense of being cautious, she gently brushed the proud curve of his jawline with tentative fingers. She gasped at the sensation which came from feeling his skin. It was not coarse like the natives' so often was, but as smooth as the down which covered a newborn bird. Marveling at this new found knowledge of this man she had watched for years, Sakura failed to note that the breathing of the man was becoming more even, more frequent.

That is, until, he caught her wrist faster than even her jungle honed reflexes could react.

**A/N: sooo. i wanted to portray the boys a bit differently. i mean, they're not ninjas anymore, so Sasuke's not gonna be all like hypersensitive to people's presences...not as much anyway. also, Sakura's supposed to be a sly jungle babe...so yeah.**

**also, i'm gonna give naruto a dark side...it's what makes him such a feared pirate...so stay tuned ;D**

**constructive comments are always welcome, and so are reviews. until next time (: **


	2. Of Laziness and Royal Seals

**HI GUYS. i know its been like what. a year. yeah. whoops. been busy. got a concussion and like died. (but seriously i was out of school for the rest of the year) **

**Sasuke: excuses...**

**Me: *gags him before he can say anything else***

**Anyway, hope you like it! **

**and remember, if you're too lazy to review, it'll probably be a while before i update :P  
**

Chapter 2: Of Laziness and Royal Seals

The first thing Sasuke registered when he awoke was the sound of the waves gently lapping at the shore. Fully coming into consciousness, he realized he was not alone. Prepared to ward off a death blow, he was instead surprised when instead the gentlest of caresses swept down the side of face. Reacting by instinct, he opened his eyes, caught the person's wrists, and used his weight to roll on top of them.

It was then Sasuke Uchiha experienced the second largest surprise in his entire life.

He had expected it to be Naruto—engaging in his usual child's play—or at least one of the crew members who had regrettably lost a bet. Instead, however, it was the pink creature he had vowed to find. And indeed, she was a creature entirely of her own. The partnering of her unusual color of hair with her doe-like, stormy green eyes lent her a look of ethereal beauty, something straight from a storyteller's lips. And yet, if a storyteller were to thread her in one of his tales, surely in his woven tapestry she would play the part of a lady of noble birth, a princess, perhaps. However, where the extravagant gowns of the wealthy required much fabric, this girl wore little, and what she did wear was made of some kind of animal fur.

And for the second time in his life Sasuke Uchiha was speechless. (Yes, he was a quiet person, but because he chose not to speak, not because he truly could not find the words.)

Surprisingly enough, the girl beneath him showed no fear, simply gazing back at him with wide-eyed curiosity. In truth, the clear expression in her eyes was reminiscent of that of a child.

Regaining his composure, he asked her coldly, "Just what did you think you were doing?"

She blinked, not understanding.

Scowling, because he hated repeating himself, he ground out, "What were you doing?"

Again, he reaped no response from her.

Sasuke growled in frustration. Looking at her flawless and clean skin—and thinking of the natives' utter disregard for the necessity of bathing—he had assumed she had only been here a year or so, on some crazy noble woman's vacation. However, judging by her native clothing and the fact that she didn't appear to understand what he was saying, Sasuke realized that it was potentially possible she had been here her whole life.

Releasing her from his iron-like grip, he rolled back to a sitting position and studied her, taking in every detail from her uncovered, pale stomach to the great length which her exotic hair fell artfully around her bare shoulders. Always the pirate, he began skimming through his memories of bounty posters for noblemen children. If he and Naruto could find her parents, they would surely receive a monumental sum. And if Sasuke knew anything about noblemen, he knew that there were two reasons for which they married: the first being for fortune, and the second being for looks.

His signature smirk alighted upon his face. Yes, it was a good thing he had not awoken under normal circumstances.

Sakura had been alarmed when the man had overtaken her so easily. Yes, alarmed, but also intrigued. Intrigued by how easily his dark liquid eyes had hardened into impervious chips of obsidian. Even as he glared at her with a fierce intensity, fear was out of the question, Sakura was simply amazed by him.

When he spoke, she drank in the deep sound of his voice, and a memory stirred. Perhaps there had been a time she had shared his language? Whatever it was he spoke, he did so in a pleasing way. When his voice became cold, shivers danced down her spine, and yet she couldn't break her eyes from his. The heat which emanated from his body scorched her in a way she could not describe. All too soon, his heat left her and he was standing up, regarding her in a distracted manner.

And now, when he looked so far away, it was almost as if a vulnerability crept about in his countenance, and Sakura wondered if he knew that his eyes softened like a child's while he was deep in thought. It was like perhaps, there had been a time, long ago, when he had sustained a great wound, that even today was still festering at the edges.

However, fascinated though she was, Sakura knew that a festering wound attracted flies. Perhaps this was why he was so tense, perhaps this was why he had blistered his graceful hands with the callous practice of weaponry and thievery. And Sakura decided that she was mournful for him, for this man who she had been watching for years.

It was then Sakura realized that it was possible that the man spoke the same language as the one which had been written on the note that had been inside her pocket, so many years ago, when the natives had first found her on the shore of the island. Sakura herself, could only decipher the number, and that was only because the Cani tribe used a similar numbering process.

She had not taken but one step towards the forest when she was suddenly hoisted into the the air.

* * *

Cacicuna was a tropical paradise. The crew loved it, because it gave them a chance to relax and stock their stores with fresh fruit. Traditionally, every time they landed at Cacicuna, Naruto always led the majority of them into the forest for a fresh foraging.

Thus, he was the first to catch sight of Sasuke coming around the bend. His cerulean eyes widened with amusement when he noticed the thrashing feminine form thrown over Sasuke's shoulder.

"Sasuke! Did you finally realize that you're attracted to…" Naruto paused for dramatic effect, "females?"

Rolling, his eyes, Sasuke replied, "Hardly. She's for bounty."

"Ah. Still holding out for Orochimaru, huh?"

Annoyed, Sasuke ignored his comment and boarded the ship. "We leave tomorrow, first light."

"Don't worry Sasuke, I'll always support you! No matter what you do, I will always, ALWAYS, LO—" And that was when Naruto discovered that not only was his best friend an expert swordsman but also an accomplished mango thrower.

* * *

If not for her exquisite beauty, Sasuke would've thrown the jungle girl down where prisoners were normally quartered. However, he was not quite sure he could trust the crew to keep their filthy paws away from the bars. Thus, he was forced to keep her in his quarters, which were larger in proportion to the rest of the living space on board, so he at least had no concerns about space. Also, this way, he could easily observe her and see perhaps if he could find her likeness in any sort of bounty poster.

The girl had been struggling frantically all the way to the ship. At last, Sasuke threw her down on the bed, and moved to stand in front of the door. Instead of running at him and attacking him like most kidnapped women-and Sasuke, for one, had kidnapped his fair share-she merely stared at him, her too-green, doe like eyes pleading with him to understand.

* * *

Meanwhile, a few miles from the coast of New Zealand, a young man of about eighteen was reclining lazily off the edge of his ship. He kept the sun at bay by pulling his dark blue bandanna over his eyes as he snored, arms folded behind his head. To anyone who didn't know him, he appeared harmless, though it was hardly the case.

"Hey, Shikamaru! Wake up, we're almost at port!"

He didn't stir.

"Shi-ka-mar-u. WAKE UP." Choji Akimichi, loveable and chubby first mate of the ship, the _Shika-Cho_, attempted to wake the lazy bastard up.

Nada.

Choji sighed. He hated waking him up. He honestly had better things to do with his time than to yell into the ear of the heaviest sleeper of the seven seas, such as chow down on his all time favorite snack, that is, English bacon. His mouth watered at the thought of it, so deliciously juicy and delectable.

However, Shikamaru needed to figure out how exactly they were going to manage extracting the demon pearl from the New Zealand people, as it was something of the sacred variety to them.

If not a lazy bum, Shikamaru was a genius at well...everything that involved thinking, once such thing being gathering information. Thus, as they were currently on the hunt for the demon pearls—the hunt having been ordered by Shikamaru—the bum easily tracked down one to the Yamanaka family. They were something of nobility on the island, and the pearl had been passed down through the generations ever since a distant ancestor had discovered it while fishing. Recently, the pearl had been handed down to Ino Yamanaka, the young daughter of the family and its pride and joy.

Now, while Choji was perfectly content with steering the boat to Shikamaru's intended destination in order to attain the pearls, he had one rule:

That was, Shikamaru did his own dirty work.

"I SAID WAKE UP DAMMIT."

* * *

_Are all men like this? So pushy..._ Sakura pondered as she was thrown unceremoniously onto a bed. Seeing as her previous attempt at struggling had done virtually nothing, the pinkette accepted her predicament. He had to understand, he had to let her off his ship on his terms, otherwise she knew that she would never manage to show him the note.

Please, I need you to understand. Let me show you.

As if driven from sheer force of will, the words came to her. "I...I n-need to s-show you something." Her manner of speaking was clumsy, like a toddler taking its first steps.

Perhaps it was the shock of hearing her speak that did it; perhaps it was because she was unusual. Regardless, the fact that Sasuke Uchiha instantaneously moved aside from the door had absolutely nothing to do with the way she had looked at him, emerald eyes drawing him in with their childlike innocence. Nope. For Sasuke Uchiha was a ruthless pirate, and was not so easily swayed by mere glances. Or so he told himself.

Within minutes he held the yellow, water damaged parchment in his hand. It was a simple document, stating only a date (Sasuke assumed this was the girl's birthdate, making her about nineteen), and a name, the last part of which was almost entirely smudged out.

_**Sakura H-**_

And yet, even the absence of her name couldn't wipe the smirk off Sasuke's face. For on the corner of the paper was the King of England's royal seal.

_Jackpot._

**OHO. Shikamaru is now in the mix. Neji/Tenten/Ita-chaaann will be next.  
**

**i will send you all virtual chibi sasukes if you review. **

**dooo ittt. you know you want tooo(;**


	3. Of Slaves and Captains

**See? I told you if you review i update faster! :D **

**Sasuke: that and she had nothing else to do...**

**Me: ..piss me off and i'll pair Sakura with your brother.  
You can have Oro-chaaaann!  
**

**Sasuke: ...damn.  
**

**But yeah, hope you guys like it and give me some good feedback :D**

Chapter 3: Of Slaves and Captains

"Damn, don't be so troublesome." Shikamaru yawned and shook his hair like a wet dog—having had a nice, cold bucket of seawater dumped on him.

Choji shrugged and set the bucket down on deck before taking the wheel of the ship back from one of the crew members. "You said to wake you up once we were in sight of the city. That was an hour ago." Indeed, they had already tied the ship to the dock.

"Ah it's 'cause she wasn't up yet." His tone was dry.

Choji raised an eyebrow. "She?"

Ever so elaborate with his speech, Shikamaru grunted. "Aa. That Ino chick. She gets up at eight, I was waiting for her."

Choji stared at him. "You know, sometimes I forget that you're pretty much a professional stalker."

Lips stretching into a lazy grin, Shikamaru casually jumped down onto the dock, hands stuffed in his pockets, and walked away.

"Don't screw it up now!" Choji called after him. "I hear Yamanaka women are feisty."

Raising an arm in acknowledgement, as well mumbling, "What a pain." Shikamaru disappeared into the rambunctious crowd as it went about its daily activities.

* * *

Captain Neji Hyuuga stared out at his surroundings with disgust. So this was what they called "black gold".

Dark skinned men in chains stretched on in a line as far as the eye could see, each waiting for their turn to be sold.

Shaking his head, he turned to find Keiku, the crew member who had directed him here when he had asked if he knew a place in which to gain extra sailors, as his own crew was lacking.

At last spotting the skulking gait and suspicious features unique to Keiku Amatsu, Neji strode over, careful not to meet the eyes of the slaves. Grabbing the man by his shirt front, Neji lifted him into the air, white eyes blazing.

"You insult the Hyuuga clan if you think we would ever stoop so low as to the slave trade." There was barely concealed fire in his tone; he was nothing short of snarling.

Like the slimy, pathetic animal he was, Keiku wriggled, attempting to free himself as sweat beaded down his forehead. "For-forgive me my liege. You asked for more men so I thought y—"

In response, Neji brutally slammed him against a wall, effectively cutting off his sentence. "You thought what?" His white eyes narrowed, and Keiku gulped as veins bulged in his captain's forehead. "That simply because the nation of Japan has deserted me that I would lose the pride of my clan? That I would forget the royal blood that runs through my veins and become something like—" He was all but roaring as he spoke the word, "—you?"

"Please my liege! Have mercy!"

However, Keiku soon realized that this would not be the case. Neji Hyuuga, previous general of the Japanese royal fleet, was regarding him with the ferocity of a wolf before the kill. The arm suspending him in the air lifted him higher, preparing to snap his neck in one great thrust against the wall.

Abruptly, his grip loosened and Keiku, managing to pry his beady eyes open, found that he was on the ground once more, the Captain having been distracted.

Although concerned for his safety, it was with plentiful curiosity that Keiku's gaze followed the captain's.

Neji, for his part, was entranced by the creature he had discovered.

* * *

Tenten decided that she was having an off day. No, more like an off week.

Maybe it was because she had washed up on the blasted shore of Cape Cod with no idea how she got there. Maybe it was because the local slave traders had oh-so-kindly decided to send their men in pursuit of her. Maybe it was because said men had managed to make off with all her prized weaponry while she was sleeping. Or maybe it was the fact that she was now in chains, being dragged to an auction stage.

Whatever the reason, the fact remained the same; she just wasn't having a good week.

"Get your filthy paws OFF of me, DAMMIT!"

It was then her training as the weapons mistress of the east kicked in, and she remembered one of her favorite rules under her master.

That was, anything could be used as a weapon.

Moving her hands in a arced fashion, she created a whip like motion with her chains, harshly attacking the six men assigned to insure she would soon be on display. Stunned at her sudden ferocity, they scattered easily before remembering themselves and rushing her once more, each from a different direction.

However, she was ready for them. Artfully, she spun and lashed at them with her makeshift whip. As she did though, she cheerily noted how reminiscent it was of the training session in which her master had taught her to dance with the whip. A small smile cracked her lips when she remembered his exact words.

_"It's basically ribbon dancing. But deadly."_

And indeed, before she was allowed to practice with a whip, she had had to master the art of ribbon dancing—something she found more challenging than anything else her master had ever taught her, as she was somewhat imbalanced and uncoordinated. However, she had been determined, and soon enough the graceful dance was added to that of her many talents.

Now, she felt as if she did in the beginning of the dance instruction; slow and awkward. She needed something to cut the manacles of her wrists, so that she could use the two chains separately as opposed to one heavy mass.

Hearing a _thunk_ nearby, she zeroed in on an auction taking place. In order to demonstrate their abilities, a chopping wood block was kept on hand for the slaves. Currently a gigantic man was wielding the axe with precision, and Tenten knew that if anyone could split her manacles, it would be him.

She took off running, lashing her chains against those who tried to impede her progress. A wall of men appeared before her, and in one fluid motion she used her momentum to launch herself over top of them, rolled, and had her manacles placed in the center of the block, just as the axe came down.

It was a clean cut. Tenten grinned up at the man who had just made things so, so much easier for her, and he grinned back. Though he was a rather enormous creature, he had had the split second reflexes to push the wood off the chopping block and aim directly for her manacles.

"Tenten." Aka:_ shall we escape together?_

He nodded in acknowledgement, the brass of his voice matching the size of his dark skinned body, "Icoto." _That sounds like fun. Lets go. _

Meanwhile, the crowd of the auction house, the men holding back the other slaves, and those who had been chasing Tenten were stunned as Icoto displayed more speed than they thought humanly possible for a man of his bulk.

The man in question shifted around his newly freed feet, before picking up the iron ball attached to his manacles—put on him under the illusion that it would restrain him—and nodding at Tenten.

"Ball and chain guy, huh?" _You know, the harbor isn't too far._

He smiled, showing off a row of bright pearly teeth. "I find it to be good exercise." _You commandeer a ship, I'll hold them at bay. _

Blowing past the dazed masses, the pair raced to the harbor. Unfortunately, the sudden motion was just enough to jar the guards back into action, who instantaneously gave chase. After a view failed attempts and chain imprinted wounds, as well as one man down due to Icoto's iron ball, they summoned reinforcements.

They were swift to come, and the duo soon found themselves surrounded. Instinctively, they stood back to back, each waiting for the enemy to make any sudden moves.

For a moment, all was still, as if the guards were uncertain of how to go about re-capturing the two casanovas.

Tenten scoffed. "Cowards."

Icoto chuckled, but said nothing.

The standstill was broken when one of the braver soldiers howled a battle cry and charged.

All at once, the circle converged on the escapees like a pack of hungry wolves.

* * *

**DUN. DUN. DUUUUUUUUUUNNN. ha. haha. ha. bet you're po-ed at meee. :D**

**oh yeah, and Icoto is my own character. steal and die. (as is Keiku)**

**so what happens noooww? why don't you review and find out? (;**

**until next time...**


	4. Of Gunshots and Secrets

**Hey guys! I'm sorry I haven't updated...school's been crazy, and i have this thing where i get migraines like every day so i actually had to drop out of school so its been a mess figuring that all out :/**

**i sorry. D: Anyway, you guys asked for Sasuke Sakura stuff, so there you gooo. :D don't worry, it gets better next chapter as well. xD (i'm not done writing it though...but soon, i promise!)**

Chapter 4: Of Gunshots and Secrets

Driven by the discovery of the seal, Sasuke's crew had set sail at once and they were now well on their way to England.

Having been given new clothes—clothes with real, actual fabric—Sakura had spent the last ten minutes continuously running her hands down the unfamiliar textures in awe, instinctively trying to engrave the feel into her memory, lest she be forced to wear animal skin once more.

Someone chuckled, and it was with some surprise that she noted Naruto standing beside her, as if he had simply materialized out of thin air. However, her initial shock disappeared once she realized he was still laughing at her.

She blushed in embarrassment and bowed politely. "T-thank you for the clothes."

He grinned, noticing that her speech had improved. "No problem, they're Sasuke's anyway, you can tell by the smell." At her confusion, he elaborated, "Mangoes right? I keep telling him he should make his own perfume line but he never listens." He sighed dramatically, stretching his arms behind his head in a mockery of a resigned gesture. "I mean, I don't get why he doesn't listen to me, you know? I only want the very best for my little Sasu-chan." He winked, entirely throwing off the overly theatrical image. "So much wasted potential."

Realizing that the clothes actually held a faint trace of mangoes, Sakura giggled.

For a moment, the pair was silent, before Sakura asked, "Why is Captain Sasuke so interested in bounties?"

Naruto barely contained his laughter at hearing that damn bastard being addressed so…politely. "Well first of all, he's a pirate. We're a bunch of greedy bastards."

She nodded her eyes wide and childlike in wonder, and he chuckled again, before his expression became serious, his cerulean eyes far away. "He also hopes to put the money towards finding the seven pearls of demons."

"Why?"

"Legend tells that he who possesses them will become the ruler of the ocean, and it will do his bidding. Think of it as having an extra arm."

"But why would Captain Sas—" at his amused expression, she cleared her throat and began again, cheeks tinted red. "Why would _Sasuke_ want that kind of power?"

At this, his eyes darkened. Naruto ran a hand through his blond hair and sighed. "It's a long story."

* * *

Meanwhile, Sasuke awoke to a bit of a predicament. He had no sooner opened his eyes then to close them once again in extreme annoyance. The distinct scent of mangoes permeated the air.

_That damn dobe..._

Sasuke had known that asking Naruto to wash his clothes for him was a stupid idea.

He swung his legs out of bed and proceeded to don his daily clothes, simultaneously planning various brutal and morbid ways to annihilate a certain dobe.

Naruto. was. dead.

* * *

Sasuke stalked across the quarterdeck, listening intently for Naruto's telltale (obnoxious) voice.

"...want that kind of power?" The voice was melodic and hesitant, and Sasuke quickly registered it as his captive, Sakura.

Someone sighed. "It's a long story." Naruto.

He stalked to the railing and looked down, and sure enough, there were Naruto and Sakura, the latter having dressed in real clothes and tied her ridiculously pink hair back in a low ponytail hanging over her shoulder.

And yet, even with the addition of civilized clothes, there was still something undeniably wild about Sakura.

Perhaps it was the silent confidence with which she held herself, as if she knew she could escape effortlessly on a whim, or maybe it was the way the clothes hung off her frame, like she thought them unnatural. She was a deceptive creature, he thought. She seemed skittish and innocent—and perhaps she was—but at the same time there was a part of her which was calculative; her eyes slightly narrowed and darting, her body just the slightest bit tensed.

To anyone else, she appeared harmless, but Sasuke recognized her act, and he also recognized that it wasn't intentional. It was instinct.

It made a grim sort of sense.

After all, Sakura had been alienated from human reliance upon logic, her upbringing had simply consisted of learning to survive. While others acted upon their knowledge of the world as learned from books or teachers, Sakura acted upon the most ancient form of knowledge of all, one in which men from ages past had embraced; instinct.

It was almost as if she was two different people in one body; one being a little girl who had never known the world, who was scared, wide eyed, and naïve, and the other one being much less benevolent, born out of the primal goal to survive and willing to use any means to accomplish said goal.

As Sasuke was to his cutlass (which he knew like the back of his hand), so Sakura was to her instinct.

Naruto and Sakura's conversation continued in the background, like a distant buzz in the back of his head. "Tell me." Sakura's voice was laced in wonder, a trace of her unobtrusive confidence in the undertone.

"Well okay, but don't tell him I told you this." Uncharacteristically, Naruto sounded almost...anxious. For a moment, it was silent and Sasuke had an image of the dobe scanning the shop briefly—although what he was looking for, Sasuke had no idea.

"When Sasuke"—said Uchiha snapped out of his reverie at the mention of his name—"was young, he had a family. A mother, a father, a brother—everything I've ever dreamed of and everything you've probably attempted to remember during your years on the island. He was happy." He paused.

"It didn't last long."

Sasuke had frozen upon the initial realization that Naruto was telling _that_ story. However, it wasn't long before he felt his blood flare with unadulterated anger, as if the emotion itself were running through his veins.

Naruto of all people should have known that speaking of this was forbidden.

* * *

Sakura didn't know what had happened. One moment, Naruto was sharing Sasuke's past with her, and the next, he was doubled over in pain, blood flowing in a continuous stream from his stomach as the echo of a gunshot rang clearly in the air.

Before she had a chance to even begin to understand what had happened, Sasuke leaped over the railing which separated the quarterdeck from the main deck and stalked towards her, eyes smoldering with predatory ferocity.

Faster than even her trained reflexes could react, he grabbed her arm and yanked her into his quarters as Naruto fell to ground.

* * *

**You know, i just realized that i've used the phrase, or something along the lines of "Faster than even her trained reflexes could react" in this story twice. yeesh. Dx**

**Anyway, i hope you guys likee ittt. review, because you knowww you wanna know what po-ed Sasu-chan's gonna do ;D **

**I plan to update sometime between this weekend-tuesday. (and you can hold me to that.) (if i don't, TELL ME and i PROMISE i will give you guys two chapters at once to make up for itt) **

** Oh yeah, and if anyone has a oneshot request with a potential theme in mind, askk. i will totally write it for you. (: **

**love you guys, until next timee.**

**...SIKE IM NOT DONE.**

**I just realized that if I continue keeping the chapter length the same, this story is gonna be like 50 + chapters long. (trust me, I've got a LOT planned.)**

**Sooo, I can either do one of two things. I can extend the chapter length (which I will do, probably to about 2000-3000 words)**

**However, this means that updating will take longer (now that my schedule is figured out, i can definitely update more often) or I can keep the chapter length and have the story have a sequel.**

**Your choice. i may even condense what i have now into two chapters.  
**

**Lemme know what you think.  
**


	5. Of Frenchmen and Bedrooms

**back from the dead...ahaa...ahahahaha...sorry for disappearing on you guys...i started this a while ago, but i couldn't get past this one part, and i was lazy...and yeah...i'm sorry D:**

**P.s. just an informer, this is not gonna be a Sasuke (sexy pirate) + Sakura (hot island chic****k)=constant unending fluff. if you guys ask me for a cute scene, and i can fit one in where i'm at in the story, fine, but i'm not writing this for the sake of fluffiness. I have a plot. oooh yes. yes i do. And i'm also sort of trying my hand at character development as well as understanding the psychological trauma my version of Naruto's characters are going through. This is a pirate adventure people, pirates did not grab up their special someone and coo sweet nothings into their ears all day while the rest of the crew starved to death or got scurvy. That said, i'm sure those of you who like the fluffy stuff will still enjoy this fic—trust me, i got plans ;D**

**Re-cap (cuz its been a while):**

_Sakura didn't know what had happened. One moment, Naruto was sharing Sasuke's past with her, and the next, he was doubled over in pain, blood flowing in a continuous stream from his stomach as the echo of a gunshot rang clearly in the air._

_Before she had a chance to even begin to understand what had happened, Sasuke leaped over the railing which separated the quarterdeck from the main deck and stalked towards her, eyes smoldering with predatory ferocity._

_Faster than even her trained reflexes could react, he grabbed her arm and yanked her into his quarters as Naruto fell to ground._

"Who the hell," Sasuke seethed, "do you think you are?"

As soon as they had entered his quarters, he had slammed the door shut behind him and shoved her across the room.

However, instead of falling, Sakura rocked forward into a catlike stance, countering his force with her own, so that she was merely pushed back. It was graceful, natural, and utterly infuriating to Sasuke.

Flipping her ponytail over her shoulder, Sakura stood and faced him, eyes serene as she observed him.

He twitched. _How the hell is she so calm?_ For one thing, he'd kind of just shoved the girl across the room and shot Naruto—who she seemed to be getting along famously with—in the stomach. And here she was, regarding him like she would a sunny day.

"Answer the damn question." He bit out, voice hoarse from fury. (A/N: HAHAHAH. PUUUN. "bit" "hoarse"=(horse). Ha. Hahaha. Oh jeez.)

Instinctively, Sakura knew that if she asked him what he meant, it would irritate him even more. Besides, she could guess what it was about; obviously Naruto had broken some kind of rule between the two by speaking of Sasuke's past. Silently, she berated herself for questioning him. She was going to have to be more careful in the future.

Inwardly, Sakura sighed. Humans were so complicated. She really was out of her league here.

For a moment, she wished to be back in her forest, her home...she closed her eyes in remembrance. Ah, how she longed for the smell of the jungle after rain, the continuous thundering of waterfalls as they rushed into an abyss, and the taste of mist.

But then the longing would return; longing to explore the world, to learn, and most prominently to be near a certain black haired pirate. At this, her eyes flew open and focused in on Sasuke, looking very much like he might stab something.

Unsure of what to do, she handled him like she might a spooked beast. Her voice was soothing as she spoke, avoiding eye contact so as to not enrage him further. (A/n: I actually looked up how to deal with bears when I was writing this) "I'm sorry. I didn't mean—"

Abruptly, he lurched toward her and grabbed her by the neck, effectively punctuating his next words. "You are never," he roughly shook her, his normally smooth voice saturated with unadulterated fury laced in poison. "to ask about that again." For a moment, they merely stared at each other, Sasuke seemingly attempting to stab her with his eyes while Sakura widened hers in surprise when her jaw twitched in irritation.

That slight, deceptively innocuous tick had been Sasuke's only warning as to what would happen in the imminent future, and he had blatantly missed it.

In an instant, Sakura snapped, and Sasuke became aware of the fact that he was airborne.

* * *

Having not had much human interaction in her lifetime, there were many things Sakura was entirely clueless about—not only about how to treat others, but also how she as a person would react to them.

Well, she had just learned something. It seemed she had a rather nasty temper, if the fact that Sasuke had smashed through the door to his cabin was any testament.

Sasuke, for his part, was attempting to figure out what had just happened. One second, he had Sakura cornered and defenseless, and the next his back was aching and he was on deck. He blinked. After a few seconds, he blinked again.

Nope. Still no idea what happened.

All attempts to understand the situation utterly vanished when the object of his bewilderment marched up the stairs.

Upon witnessing Sasuke's rather shocked and curious expression, Sakura decided she would deny punching him. She didn't know why she was so intent upon doing so, she just knew that was how she felt. As she would discover later, she had a rather childish side.

Plastering disbelief all over her face in what she hoped was a convincing manner, Sakura hurried over to Sasuke. "Are you okay? I can't believe how much the b—" Sakura searched herself for the word "—boat rocked just now."

Sasuke narrowed his eyes, confusion knitting his brow. He could have sworn she punche—_Oh. _

In his befuddlement (A/N: totally have always wanted to use that word…), he had been rubbing his cheek—wondering if he had imagined the sensation of her fist digging into his jaw—when he had managed to catch her eye and discover what Sasuke could only describe a mix between extreme annoyance and dark humor. Almost instantaneously, she turned away, but the moment had been more than enough for Sasuke to reach his conclusion.

He, Sasuke Uchiha, feared pirate and captain of the _Avenging Fox_, had just figuratively gotten his ass handed to him by a skinny female who for all intents and purposes shouldn't have been able to touch him, much less have enough strength to throw him through a door.

Any coherency in his thoughts could be summed up in two words:

_Well damn._

* * *

Sakura found Naruto lying on his back where Sasuke had shot him. At the sight of him, she caught her breath.

From her early impression of Sasuke and Naruto's relationship, it had appeared to her that though Sasuke often grumbled about his blond-haired blue-eyed counterpart, he would protect him with the same primal ferocity as he would himself, and vice versa. Looking at Naruto now, it seemed she couldn't have been more wrong.

His originally white shirt had all but been dyed red with congealed blood. From her life on the island—the Cani tribe was not exactly civilized in its treatment towards criminals— Sakura already knew that there was no hope of Naruto's survival.

Upon acknowledging this, a weight she had never experienced before pressed down on her heart, and tears flooded her eyes. She had hoped they could be friends, and now any possibility of that had been stolen from her.

As a tear slipped down her cheek—he looked so _peaceful_— the part of Sakura that was so driven by instinct reminded her that death was a part of life. _Why grieve the inevitable? _

And yet, the part of Sakura who was a child, the part that had never truly understood what death meant, who had always wondered why members of the Cani Tribe mourned lost ones, whispered back, _but he was going to be my friend…_

In her agony, she bent down to embrace Naruto's body, only to feel it stir a moment later. Shocked, she unceremoniously released him, causing his head to hit the deck with a rather unpleasant sounding thump.

"Oww Sakura-chan," he rubbed the back of his aching head, voice heavy with sleep. "That hurt…"

Sakura's eyes widened more than she had previously thought possible, and she leapt to her feet. "You were d-dead. You are d-dead." Utterly bewildered, Sakura was unsure whether to hug him or to grab the nearest plank and beat him with it. Instead, she settled for an uneasy compromise in which she did neither and just stared at him.

For a moment, Naruto looked confused. "Dead?" _What is she talking abo—Oh. _ Grinning, Naruto dusted himself off and stood. "Ne, Sakura-chan, I can't die! I'm—" he flexed his muscles for dramatic effect. "Invincible!" He lifted up his shirt, revealing his bloodied tan stomach. "See?"

Aside from the blood, any trace of the wound had all but vanished, and in its place was a glowing circular tattoo. Awestruck, Sakura watched dumbly as Naruto stooped and plucked up the bullet she had _seen_ enter his stomach from the deck. He held it up to her, a mischievous spark in his eye. "See? No harm done."

* * *

As a former general of war, Neji Hyuuga had seen it all. He had met every type of fighter imaginable—from those who killed out of their own thirst for blood to those who would sacrifice it all to save those they loved.

Never had he witnessed anything akin to the raw beauty dancing in front of his eyes—for that's what she was doing, dancing. With more grace than he had thought possible (and he was a Hyuuga, he knew about grace), she, dark hair splaying about her tanned shoulders, twirled her chains as sinuously as if they were snakes twisting of their own accord.

Most shocking of all was the large grin plastered across her face. It was unique to any expression he had seen in battle. Completely devoid of any malicious intent or morbid secrecy, it came across as childlike and innocent. Had it not been for the onslaught of guards attempting to subdue her or the impish twinkle in her eye, he would have believed her to be actually dancing, so carefree was her countenance.

As he stood, transfixed by her raw allure, an unfamiliar urge welled up in his stomach, one he hadn't acknowledged in years; impulse.

Neji was a strategist; that is, he did not act upon silly things like mere impulses. He took everything into account, odds, what could be gained from winning a campaign, what could be lost, what ships could be used to sneak into a loosely guarded bay, what group of soldiers would be best suited for such missions, etc. And if Neji was honest with himself, he could see that there was no obvious benefit of acting on his impulse, such a brash action could even pose potential danger for his crew.

But well, he felt like it.

Thus, Neji made his way towards the director of the auction—whose composure was less than intact—a cunning ploy already coalescing in his mind as to how he could save himself a couple shillings. (A/N: yes, i am aware that shillings were an english currency, but to keep things simple i've decided to just use them)

* * *

The director of the auction was a man named Jaques Cledes Tailor. He was a man of relatively modest stature and sparse fortune. Despite all this, he had an absurd amount of pride—especially in his dark curly hair—and thus carried himself much like a rooster strutting about a farm.

For Jaques, hosting this auction had been the opportunity of a lifetime, and more than he could afford to lose was on the line if the event turned to disaster—which would be an understatement at this point.

In horror, he realized that this was likely the end of him—in this lifetime, it seemed, he would never experience the bliss of abundance to which the wealthy lay claim. Back in France they would mock him, and any semblance of progress he had achieved on the social ladder would hence cease to exist.

By far the worst revelation of all was that the stress would accelerate his hereditary hair (A/N: alliteration, anyone?) loss. At this, his world was cast into shadow, and Jaques realized that he had reached such a level of human suffering that he had no longer the ability to perceive light. His world was one of his own desolate pain and death, and as far as he could see there was naught but ominous grey. Would he ever be happy again? Nay, it seemed a fitting conclusion for the life of one so innocent, so harmless in the affairs of men. It was evident he would forever remain trapped in this world, his only company that of the shadow that weighed so onerously on his soul.

"How much for the pair?"

Jaques spluttered, amazed at the madness which had so swiftly infected his mind. It had seemed only a moment he had been present in this world, but already he felt as if the shadow had indeed spoken. Then again, perhaps time traveled differently here, or perhaps some tragic incident had befallen him and caused him to misplace his memories. Perhaps the madness had eroded them long ago.

The shadow cleared its throat. "Up here."

Stunned by the rather commanding quality of the voice, Jaques looked up.

And broke into a particularly exuberant bout of titillation, complete with hugging and the like. "Monsieur! You have saved me! I am forever in your debt! What would you have me do my saveur? I shall pledge ma vie à vous! We shall become partenaires, the sea will bow to our audacious férocité!"

Neji, for his part, was counting down in his head. If the little frenchman did not release him in five seconds...

Thankfully (for Jaques, at least), Jaques seemed to remember himself. "Ah, je suis désolé! I did not mean to intrude upon your person It's just that—"

Ever a brusque man, Neji repeated his question, gesturing to the spectacle of flying chains and guards. "How much for the pair?"

Jaques grinned. "Pour vous, monsieur? Free. If you can subdue them, that is."

Neji smirked. "That won't be an issue." In an instant, he had whipped out his twin cutlasses and charged into battle, calling a name as he did so, though at this point he was too far away for Jaques to make it out.

For a moment, the tiny frenchman pondered the events which had just transpired. Then he took off running, meaning to gather his belongings and join the man who had so courageously freed him from his dark world—(better described as his self imposed drama).

* * *

It had been quite simple really. There was an obvious weakness to using chains as weapons, but Neji supposed she could only improvise in her current situation.

Nevertheless, he had won.

* * *

Tenten was, for lack of a better word, flabbergasted. One second she was back to back with Icoto, successfully warding off the mass of guards, and the next her chains were pinned to the ground by two well placed cutlasses. Turning to Icoto for support, she widened her eyes when she found him kneeled, weapon dangling from his hands uselessly, though there was no signs of his attacker.

Facing front once more, Tenten blanched. At the end of those swords was a Hyuuga.

As a weapon's mistress, Tenten had been on more than her fair share of assassination missions (though she also worked as a mercenary and sometimes even an entertainer), some of which had taken place in Japan. Once, King Hiashi Hyuuga himself had requested her services—corrupted nobility and all that. Meeting one Hyuuga had been enough—their imperious mannerisms and unsettling pale eyes (she swore Hiashi could see her very _soul_) were unique to their family alone. It was easy enough to spot one in a crowd.

As well as their physical attributes, Hyuugas also had a knack for being equally gifted in both the fighting artes and the intellectual mind games of the overly sophisticated. To put it simply, they were trouble.

If the skill in which this one had effectively disarmed her was any indicator, he would effortlessly pose a threat in a serious fight. And as she didn't have her beloved weapons at the moment, it was a risk she couldn't afford to take.

Her only choice was to lay low and wait for her moment. However, judging by the particularly keen intelligence reflected in the Hyuuga's eyes, that moment, when it did come, would have to be perfect. She needed a plan.

Thus, she hung her head, pretending to submit. As soon as he let his guard down, she'd either kill him or slip away. Anticipation gnawed at her stomach as she wondered which slave outpost she would be taken to, as well as if they'd try to torture her into submission. The image brought a smile to her lips. As if they could.

The Hyuuga sheathed his swords and twisted her chains around his forearms, effectively eliminating any potential of utilizing her previous chain whipping strategy, and began leading her towards his ship, simultaneously directing a group of men to bring Icoto as well.

Wait. His ship?

Unfortunately for Tenten, she wasn't exactly the most talented at dealing with surprises. When something jumped out at her, she'd forget herself and kill it on impulse. That was just how she was, and had always been.

So when she fully registered the fact that a Hyuuga of all people had captured her and was leading her to his ship—ships meant being surrounded by water, meaning that unless she could escape that very night, which was doubtful if not laughable, she was screwed—any pretense of being a meek, acquiescent prisoner flew out the door.

She wrenched her entire body backwards, the force intended to stun the Hyuuga into releasing her. Instead, he was ready for her, and continued to drag her—despite her struggle—to his ship, an slight smirk upon his face at her antics.

Meanwhile, Tenten's internal dialogue went something like this:

_NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!_

* * *

Ino Yamanaka was the gemstone of her village; she was well liked, beautiful, intelligent, and kind.

As well as a damn good actress.

Her hand maid was the only one who knew her true nature, how materialistic, vain, naggy, and loud she really was, and Ino intended to keep it that way.

After all, if she kept up her little charade, it meant multiple suitors, which meant gifts from said suitors, meaning a rather shocking abundance of jewelry.

Oh how she loved her jewels.

Yet another suitor bade her farewell for the day, and as Ino escorted herself inside her father's estate, she fingered her new necklace, a pleased smile gracing her features.

It was only when she was in her room that she allowed the mind numbing exhaustion to surface. As fantastic an actress as she was, sometimes it was rather difficult to maintain the charade.

Sighing, she removed her cloak, uncaring that her hand maiden was missing, and stepped behind her dressing screen. A couple of muttered curses later, she had managed to shimmy her way out of her corset and underskirt and donned her nightgown, uncaring that her previous attire was a rumpled heap on the floor.

Approaching the mirror, she proceeded to attack the legion of pins constricting her golden mane into a fashionable coif. It was only when her hair hung straight and unbridled down her back that she relaxed, taking a good look at herself.

A moment later, she noticed the man lying in her bed.

* * *

**Ah, I just love cliffhangers don't you? Especially ones having to do with bedrooms...and men in bedrooms...with girls in their nightgowns. It's a promising situation, is it not? ;D**

**********Ooh, what do you think of my new character Jaques? I like him. He's very dramatic, ne? **

**Anyway read and review. Sasuke loves reviews. They make him smile. **


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